Vigilante Roadwork: Woman Fed Up With Chicago's Potholes Will Fix Them Herself

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A fed-up Chicago woman is taking it upon herself to fix the city's potholes.

Talk about taking matters into your own hands.

One Chicago woman is so fed up with the city’s plague of potholes she’s planning to fill them herself.

"Not only am I fed up with the pothole situation, I'm fed up with the manner the current representative neglects the residents on all aspects that relate to daily life in our community," said Doris Lewis Brooks. "This is why I am taking matters into my own hands to improve my community.”

"I may not be able to fill every one of them, but I will be able to affect some improvement so that people’s cars are not continually damaged," Brooks said in a statement.

Brooks, who plans to challenge Chicago Alderman Howard Brookins in the next election, says she will be using the same materials used by the city when repairing the potholes Friday.

"Seeking office was not something I planned for my future,” she said in a statement. “I had retired and looked forward to enjoying a leisurely life. But how can you relax when the community is falling apart around you?"

Earlier this year, the city’s pothole damage claims reached a record high, with more than 2,000 claims filed with the city clerk’s office. Last year there were a total of 743 such claims.

City officials say it takes months to process the claims. Though they can't estimate the total cost, each payout can be up to $2,000 to cover flat tires, bent wheel rims, realignments and even cracked windshields.